Handle-bar.



m. 653,642. Patented July I0, 1900.. B. F. DARLING, Decd. E L DARLING, Admmlstratrix H A N D L E B A R.

(Application filed Oct. 11, 1897.)

(lo Modal.)

WITNESSES:

ATTO R THE NORRIS nm'zna no" momuma, WASHINGTON 0.1:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

ROBERT F. DARLING, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK; EVA L. DARLING, AD-

MINISTRATRIX OF SAID ROBERT F. DARLING, DECEASED, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN BICYCLE COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JER- SEY, AND NEW YORK, N. Y.

Y HAN DLE-BAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 653,642, dated July 10, 1900.

Application filed October 11, 1897. Serial No. 654,742- (No model.)

To aZl whom, it ntay concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT F. DARLING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Handle-Bar; and I do hereby declare that the following, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention.

My invention relates to the handle-bars of bicycles; and it consists of a clamp concealed within the tube into which the post fits for locking the post and bars in any desired position. It may be variously constructed, its essential feature being that it is entirely concealed from View when the parts are assembled without any protruding portion and is operated by means of the handles. The essential feature of my clamp or means of connection between post and tube lying in the fact that it is entirely concealed and operated by the handles, the invention may be embodied in various forms. A simple form is here illustrated, which will beunderstood easily by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference-numerals indicate the same parts in the diiferent figures.

Figure I is a vertical section of the steering-head of a bicycle, showing handle-bar post clamped in steering-post by means of my invention. Fig. II is an enlarged elevation of lower end of handle-bar post with sleeve detached. Fig. III is a perspective View of sleeve. Fig. IV is a similar view of a slightlymodified form.

1 indicates the head or front tube of bicycle; 2, the cup member secured thereto; 3 '3, the balls; 4:, the upper cup member, engaging by thread 5 with upper end of steering-post 6 for adjusting the bearing.

7 is the handle-bar post, carrying at its upper end handles 8, provided with grips 9, and having its lower end 10 tapered and threaded, to which is fitted a nut or sleeve 11, split at 12 and threaded on its interior and preferably tapered to fit the tapered end 10. The split sleeve has its exterior roughened or vertically corrugated to engage with inner surface of steering-post 6. The entire exterior of sleeve may be corrugated, as shown in Fig. IV, or, as shown in the other figures, the sleeve may be provided with upper and lower corrugated bands 14 14, having a depressed portion 13 between.

When the clamp is to be used, the sleeve is screwed onto tapered end of post, so-that it is expanded a trifle to fit snugly the interior of post when inserted therein and pushed down until handle-bars are a desired height. The handle-bar post is then rotated by means of the handle-bars, so as to screw down into the sleeve, by which the sleeve is expanded, clamping handles and handle-bar post securely in position. The thread is made rather fine, so that after the sleeve has been sufficiently expanded to secure the handles in position it is possible to rotate them farther to bring them in the correct position for the rider. The sleeve is not necessarily of the exact length and proportion here shown, but sufficiently long to aiford sufticient surface for engagement with the steering-post. When it is desired to elevate or depress the handles, they may be rotated in the reverse direction, loosening the sleeve. Their height is then changed and the sleeve expanded to clamp parts in new position by rotation in original direction.

While I have described my invention as applied to a handle-bar post, exactly the same may be applied to a seat-post for securing the saddle at the desired height, and it would be superfluous to illustrate it.

The advantages of my invention are the atfording-a secure clamp having a sufficient surface for engaging with the interior of steering-post (or frame-tube) without inj ury thereto, which is operated by rotating the post by means of handles, (or saddle,) the whole mechanism being concealed without the unsightly andinconvenient protruding parts. I believe I am the first inventor of an entirely-concealed clamping mechanism.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is

In combination in a bicycle, the steeringpost fitted to the main head, a handle-bar stem fitted to said steering-post and carrying the handle-bar at its upper end, said stem having its lower end tapered and outwardly threaded, a split sleeve internally threaded to fit said tapered end and of such diameter that its outer surface will frietionally en gage with the interior of the steering-post so as to prevent its movement and permit its expansion and contraction when the handle-bar and 10 Stem are rotated.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, this 10th day of September, 1897.

ROBERTv F. DARLING.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK P. SCHENCK, L. F. WEISBURG. 

